Top 13 Dating Apps and Sites for 2025: From Hinge to eHarmony British GQ

After creating a username, you’ll start your OkCupid journey by filling out a very long profile, which you can link to your Instagram account. You can answer questions, giving both your answer and what you’d like your potential match’s answer to be — creating a percentile score that reflects compatibility between users. You can choose to make your answers public and note how important they are to you, so prospective matches can see for themselves how compatible you’re likely to be.

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In many cases you may be unable to message matches, or you may not see who “likes” your profile. The odds of being fooled by a romance scam may seem low when considering the large number of people using online dating platforms. But all users, whether they’re tech savvy or not, should keep their eyes peeled for this ever-present threat. While the number of reported scams falls each year as awareness grows, the financial impact on victims has increased. Available to iOS and Android users, users can utilize features such as “Match Notes” to better express what they are looking for to potential matches and “Comment Filters” to limit negative interactions on the platform.

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For those looking for love in the UK, Bumble provides a strong platform, especially if you’re in a major city. While Bumble has a smaller user base than Tinder, its focus on a more curated experience attracts a demographic generally more interested in serious dating. Features like in-app video calling allow for virtual dates before meeting in person, adding a layer of safety and convenience, particularly appealing in today’s dating landscape. While specific pricing information isn’t readily available, Bumble offers premium features like “Spotlight” and “SuperSwipe” for enhanced visibility, although these can be expensive.

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Bumble, along with its parent site Badoo, tamps down on scams by allowing for in-app video chats so that you can verify the person you’re chatting to is who they say they are, before you give out your number, too. Our comprehensive rundown of the best dating apps has been compiled by several members of the British GQ team. In fact, most of the picks below have been test-driven by at least one of our writers and editors; you can see their testimony in the corresponding slides. Where we’ve chosen from outside of our direct experience, we’ve relied on both anecdotal recommendations from friends and family, as well as online reviews and reputation. You may recognise Muzz from their fun advertising campaigns (“Halal, is it me you’re looking for?”). Yet the free dating app has plenty of other stand-out features which may explain its 25,000 success stories.

Bumble recently added in-app voice and video chat functions, as well as the option to send audio notes if you don’t fancy chatting in real-time. Forbes Health also conducted a survey of 1,600 dating app users and commissioned seven dating platform testers to try our top platforms for two weeks. Compared to other high-volume platforms, Hinge provided our testers with a thoughtful and engaging testing experience. The process of commenting and liking users felt more purposeful than the swipe-based model offered by the likes of Tinder. While some felt premium features helped engagement, others say the cost didn’t match the added value.

Match has three million users in the UK, so there’s no shortage of potential suitors here. Setting up an account is straightforward and safety conscious – you’ll have to accept Match’s four golden rules of dating (be respectful, be genuine, stay safe, don’t compromise) before proceeding. No doubt you’ll have heard of OKCupid, and that’s because it’s another longtime player in the online dating world. This string to the Match bow revolves around a neat personality quiz, which is not mandatory to complete but is certainly advisory.

Whether you’re mad about dogs, passionate about green issues or a connoisseur of fine wines, you may just be a few clicks away from someone who shares your interests. Online dating and dating apps are now one of the most popular ways to meet a new partner and there are more than 1,400 sites in the UK alone, catering for people from all walks of life and interests. Take comfort in the fact that almost one fifth of the UK now uses dating apps, according to a recent Statista study. Want more expert advice on navigating the UK dating scene and making the most of the best dating apps UK offers? Head over to DatingBlog.co.uk for in-depth reviews, helpful tips, and the latest news on all things dating apps, ensuring you’re equipped to find your perfect match. It’s difficult to get an accurate number but it’s safe to say that the number is in the millions.

They have worked hard to combine the old-school detailed profiles with the more mobile-friendly photo-based profiles and it works like a charm. And they still hold a significant place in today’s online dating industry because of the scale they maintain around the world. As one of the original online dating platforms, Match.com continues to serve UK singles seeking committed relationships.

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• Tinder is one of those classic dating apps that continues to hold its place in the market, even as others experiment with a range of other features and philosophies.
• This dating app is selective and there’s a screening process which screens users on safety, effort and mindset, to ensure everyone is serious about dating and to avoid fake accounts within the community.
• You can communicate with anybody who messages you for free, but to see other profiles, you’ll need to upgrade to Pro for $13 per week or $30 a month.
• Firstly, it protects your privacy – you can use an alias and keep your photos hidden or blurred until a later date, so there’s no danger of friends or family stumbling across your profile.
• Whether you’re dipping your toes into the online dating pool or are a seasoned app user, Tinder offers a convenient and accessible platform for meeting new people across the UK.

Multiple testers experienced high engagement and meaningful conversations very quickly. The original feminist app that enables women to “make the first move”, Bumble has evolved a lot since its early days. It burst onto the scene thanks to ex-Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe Heard, who famously launched the app after resigning from Tinder, where she eventually filed a lawsuit for sexual harassment. With Bumble, the plan was to give women control over their dating lives – in the first versions of the app, only women could message first when they matched with a man.

Guys don’t have as much power, but they can extend matches for 24 hours if they’re really hoping to hear from a particular woman. Ladies can do the same thing if they want to chat with a match but haven’t had time during the first day. As successful as it is at forming long-distance relationships and enduring marriages, Tinder has long been accused of changing dating into some form of hookup game.

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This is particularly appealing to busy professionals aged who value their time and are serious about finding a genuine connection. However, the exclusive nature of the app might feel elitist to some, and the smaller user base compared to mainstream apps like Tinder or Bumble is a trade-off for the curated experience. The application process also requires patience, as it can take some time to be approved. OkCupid earns its spot among the best dating apps UK due to its commitment to meaningful connections. Its detailed approach makes it an excellent choice for those seeking long-term relationships and valuing shared values over superficial swiping.

• Its thoughtful design and focus on relationship-building set it apart from more superficial dating apps, making it a valuable tool for UK singles looking for lasting love.
• The cost varies on the length of a subscription but starts at around £15 per month.
• Relying on 40 years of findings on how to build a successful relationship, the site categorises users into 36 personality traits, and uses a matching algorithm of 136 rules.
• The compatibility percentages, derived from your answers to the questions, offer a starting point for conversation and can highlight common ground.

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Hinge is an online dating app that the company claims is “designed to be deleted” once a user has found their match. Hinge is available to use for free, as well as via its premium Hinge+ or HingeX subscriptions. While our tester found issues with the platform to be minor, he felt the Premium subscription was a bit pricier than some of the more basic tiers on other platforms.

Instead of showing you random profiles, Happn connects you with people you’ve physically crossed paths with in real life. Imagine finally being able to talk to that intriguing person you always see at your local coffee shop or on your commute – Happn makes that prtrend possible. This location-based dating app uses geolocation to identify other users you’ve been near, creating opportunities for connections based on shared spaces and routines.

Launched in 2012, Tinder has come a long way since it changed the way we date forever. As one of the first major dating apps, it pioneered the swiping feature that many apps now use, allowing users to say yes or no to potential matches with a quick swipe of their thumb. Back then, profiles pretty much consisted of just a few photos alongside someone’s name and age. Bumble is a popular dating app in the UK, particularly in urban areas, that distinguishes itself by putting women in the driver’s seat.

Users may also use the app’s internal currency “beans” to purchase additional features within the platform. Continue reading to learn more about the best dating sites and apps on the market. With 150 million users around the world, Plenty of Fish has been dominating the dating market since it launched in 2003. It also has a proficient search function to help you whittle down what you’re looking for and you can restrict your first message count, so people have to say a little more than a simple “hey”. What makes it unique, though, is the events it puts on for members, so you can meet one another in the wild.